The belted kilt, also known as the Great Kilt, is a traditional Scottish garment that predates the modern kilt. It consists of a large piece of cloth that is draped over the shoulder and wrapped around the body, secured with a belt or pin. The fabric used was often tartan, but did not have clan associations. Donning the belted kilt was a difficult and lengthy process, and it is now uncommon except for traditional events.
The belted kilt, which is sometimes also called the Great Kilt, is a type of garment that originated in the Scottish Highlands and is the forerunner of the modern kilt. Belted plaid is often also known by its Gaelic names of feilidh-mhor or breacan-feile. It consists of a large piece of cloth, part of which is draped over the shoulder by the wearer and part of which is wrapped around the body in folds and then secured with a belt or pin. The term ‘plaid’ in Gaelic literally means ‘blanket’, and traditionally the fabric Highlanders used for their belted plaid doubled as a sleeping blanket.
There are records of belted checks dating back to 1594, although versions of the garment probably existed long before then. However, historians do not know its exact date of origin. Traditionally it would consist of a piece of cloth approximately 50 to 60 inches (127 to 152.4 cm) wide and 3 to 6 yards (2.74 to 5.48 meters) long, depending on the size of the wearer and availability. of the cloth. Most looms at the time were only capable of producing fabric 25 to 30 inches (63.5 to 76.2 cm) wide, so the fabric of a belted plaid would consist of two strips of fabric sewn together to achieve the full dimensions. Contemporary producers of belted plaid will generally sew two pieces of cloth together for the sake of authenticity.
The cloth used by the highlanders used to be a kind of tartan, a mixture of wool and linen that produced a piece of cloth with a pattern of colored stripes. However, the tartans that were part of the belted plaid did not have the clan associations that are common among tartans today. The modern notion of “clan tartans” did not become common until the early 19th century.
There is some controversy over the exact process Highlanders would use to don a belted plaid. Some claim that they would lay the cloth in folds on the ground and then lie on the cloth to wrap it. Others believe this is not true, as it is a cumbersome technique that would require placing the cloth on the frequently wet and muddy ground. In any case, donning the belted kilt must have been a difficult and relatively lengthy process, especially in comparison to the adapted modern kilt.
Perhaps for that reason, belted plaid is uncommon today, except as a celebration of Scottish tradition. They appear at traditional events such as the Highland Games, and some Highlanders have turned the donning of a belted plaid into a performance to entertain tourists.
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